A Ripped Garment
by Gemini Explorer
Summary: Marguerite is devastated when she finds evidence that Roxton and Finn have betrayed her. But have they? If not, has her caustic tongue cost her John's love?  A bit risque, with naughty female name calling.


THIS IS A MATURE-RATED FIC, and contains elements of sex, naughty female name calling (profanity), and other aspects that may be rather racy for some readers who prefer to peruse only PG and similar material. There is nothing at all extreme in it by modern standards, but for those who embarrass easily; this may be worth keeping in mind.

Rights disclaimer: The basic characters here are the property of the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and/or of New Line Cinema and other rights holders, and no infringement is intended. Thanks are expressed for use of their characters and setting.

Some relationships here are different than seen on the TV show on which the Fic is based. The story is set beyond the Third Season, and the Treehouse dwellers have evolved beyond the stage at which they were when the series, "The Lost World" ended. There are three couples in the Treehouse: The Challengers (George and Finn), the Malones (Ned and Veronica), and the Roxtons (John and Marguerite). They were not yet married, but had formally committed to one another. (George and Finn later discovered that Jessie Challenger had died of flu in 1921, freeing them to wed.) And now, our story!

"A Ripped Garment"

by Gemini Explorer

Marguerite Krux was vexed. She had slept late again, and when she finally rose, she found that her man, John Roxton, had gone hunting with their friend and fellow Treehouse dweller, Nicole Finnegan, better known by her nickname of Finn. Finn often accompanied Roxton in the chase, for she was an enthusiastic huntress, and she shared his love of fine firearms and of nature. They often took Marguerite, too, but she sometimes grew bored with their discussions of ballistics, guns, and history. She was weary of their debates as to whether the Saxon king at the Battle of Hastings was killed by an arrow in his eye. Marguerite preferred fashion, intrigue, art, and jewelry to such matters. In any event, she was used to Roxton and Finn hunting together, and thought little about it, save that today, she would have loved to escape housecleaning through having joined them. She was not especially jealous, although Finn was an attractive blonde, likely to interest many a man. Roxton saw Finn as just a friend and sort of little sister figure...or so Marguerite thought. She teased the twosome about being Orion and Diana, after the classic hunters of Greek mythology. (She had also dubbed them The Gun People.) And she felt warm and happy inside when she imagined Roxton as a Greek god, a role in which she easily saw him. She smiled at the thought of her handsome lord, reveling at her joy in being his.

Marguerite was not fond of housework, and was miffed to learn that watering the garden this morning had not satisfied her friend and hostess, Veronica Layton. No more had Marguerite finished in the garden than Veronica had handed her a dust cloth. The two women had worked together in harmony, Marguerite only occasionally grumping good naturedly about her aversion to "heavy, heartless industrial labor". The brunette British beauty had wanted to sew a new blouse for herself that afternoon. But the other men in the Treehouse, Ned Malone and Prof. George Challenger, Finn's man, were engaged in altering their generator to gain added performance from it in operating several appliances. So she and Veronica had to do all the cleaning, and she was not happy that she was forced to forego her sewing. She wanted, indeed needed, that new blouse!

Now much mellowed from the fiery, contentious woman who she had been when she had first set foot on this remote Brazilian plateau, Marguerite nonetheless had moments of vexation, and today, she was growing impatient with the need to clean. Still, she was behaving well...until she went to empty the bedroom wastebaskets and found...The Panties!

They were in the trash basket in the Challengers' room, atop some other litter waiting to be dumped into the communal bin and later burned on the ground below the Treehouse.

Marguerite lifted the black bikini panties, which she saw were not only damp, but had been ripped down one side, along most of the front. All that held them together on that side was the elastic of one leg hole. They looked to Marguerite to have been ripped off of Finn by a lover eager to get at his prize.

She stood stunned as she registered what this must mean! How could they do this to her! Just as she had learned to love and trust Roxton, she who had for so long feared intimacy, and who had thought that she would never know true love, let alone trust! And what had happened had been done with Finn, a woman whom she loved as almost a sister, and as close to a family member as she would ever have!

She remembered that Roxton and Finn had returned about an hour earlier, and that as soon as Finn had helped Roxton to skin a brocket deer that they had shot, and stored it in the area where they hung meat, Finn had come up to her room and stripped, putting on a towel and taking a change of clothing with her as she went to shower. The shower had stopped, and Finn would now be toweling her hair, or already brushing her pageboy hairdo.

Trembling with rage, Marguerite Krux stormed downstairs, dangling the torn panties from a finger. She caught Finn as she had guessed, just finishing brushing her hair, about to go to the kitchen for a cup of tea and to ask how Challenger and Malone had fared with the generator. She was dressed in a change of her usual black crop top and brief black shorts. Marguerite's temper flared even more as she remembered having made those very clothes for Finn…

Moments after, everyone in the Treehouse heard Marguerite's and Finn's voices, loud and angry.

"How could you DO this to me? I bleeding well TRUSTED you! And HIM! You SLUT! Bitch! Whore!"

Finn: "Jerk! Witch! Shrew! Wait until I tell George and Johnny about this!"

"Johnny, hell! To you, he is Lord Roxton, and he WAS my man, not yours. Tramp!"

"Termagant! Harpy!"

Alarmed, Veronica and Ned rushed into the living room adjacent to the kitchen and the ample dining area. Finn stood, hands on hips, rage on her face as Marguerite brandished a pair of torn panties that Veronica recognized as Finn's. She had seen them many times when the girls swam in a safe pool of the nearby river.

"Marguerite, calm down!" Veronica commanded. "What's going on? Ned, go get Challenger!"

"Never mind that," said the tall scientist as he heard his name. He scrambled up the last few stairs from his lab and stood by Finn.

"Darling," he addressed her, "what's wrong? You two can be heard for a mile, I daresay!"

Finn, ashamed and angry, said, "Genius, I didn't start this. This bitch..."

"Just a damned minute here," interjected Marguerite. "Before you rush to the defense of this little harlot, George, you should know that she has cuckolded you as surely as she has betrayed me! Roxton! Get in here, this minute! Where are you, you...BASTARD?"

Challenger was baffled, but saw that he had to separate the quarreling women.

"Finn, come with me," he ordered. "I'll talk with you about this in our room."

No!" the girl yelled. "George, I didn't DO anything! This jerk just..."

"Nicole...," warned Challenger.

"Okay, dammit, I'm going!" And the young blonde flounced off and stomped angrily up the stairs to their room.

Roxton arrived now, drying his hands on a dishtowel. "Marguerite, what on Earth is happening here?"

"You!" she shouted. "I want to know NOW what you and Finny Finn were doing today, other than hunting!"

"Eh? Well, we..."

"Well? You WHAT? Maybe you would like to tell me how these got torn, let alone wet!" And she shook the damaged panties in his face.

Roxton held her hand still and took the torn garment from her.

"Aren't these Finn's knickers?" he asked. "Actually, I think she said they are the pair that she had on when she first came here. That may be partly why they ripped so easily today. They're pretty worn. But why are you calling her those names? And what, pray, Madam, did you just call me? It sounded suspiciously like an inference that my parents weren't married when I was born, and I promise you, they were. Give, Marguerite!"

She told him quite clearly, rather coarsely, what was in her mind.

Roxton was stunned for a moment, and then grew genuinely angry.

"Marguerite, is this what all the screaming was about? You think that Finn and I were..."

"I think that you and that blonde bimbo were FUCKING! Not to put too fine a line on it! Are you denying that, to my face?"

"Hell, yes!" Roxton retorted. "Everyone, sit down, please. George! Will you and Finn come back down here? We need to settle this, and no one has done any wrong, save for Marguerite!"

"We're coming, John," called the group's leader. "Finn has just about finished telling me her side of this." And Challenger and his mate came back down the stairs that they had just ascended. As they walked to the dining table, Challenger took Finn's hand, and she looked at him gratefully and held onto him tightly.

When all were seated, Marguerite tossed the ripped, wet panties on the table and demanded, "Well?"

"Johnny, you tell it," said Finn. "I'll fill in if I need to. But first, just so that we all know that we aren't making anything up, give her that damned necklace!

Roxton nodded and took a golden necklace with its ruby pendant from a pocket. He dropped it on the table in front of Marguerite. "Recognize that?" She sat staring for some seconds, then snatched up the necklace and examined it. "Why, this is..."

"The necklace that you lost while swimming, about three weeks ago, wasn't it?" This from Veronica, who had been present when Marguerite realized that her necklace had come off in the water and was nowhere to be found. "Let me see, Marguerite. I may be able to repair that broken clasp. Finn, where did you find this?"

"It was in that long, clear pool about half a mile downstream from where we swim, "her friend replied." John and I were sitting on a big boulder there in the stream, eating lunch, when I saw something shiny swirling around in this fissure on the bottom. We went over across some rocks and got a better look. We realized that it wasn't a fish and then I knew what it must be. Or, I was pretty sure. I've seen that necklace plenty of times. We couldn't snag it on a branch, so I undressed and went in after it."

"You undressed. Just like that. In front of John." Marguerite's arms were crossed angrily over her chest.

"Well, yeah, Marguerite. I left on my panties and bra, but I wasn't going to get my gun and boots and other clothes soaking wet. That bottom was about six feet down, and the fissure opening was another three or so feet deep. Johnny tied a rope to my waist in case I got stuck and had to be pulled up. And I did get hung up; that's how my panties, knickers to you Limeys, got ripped. They got caught on a sharp rock as I came up, and I almost lost them. I have a scuff on my abdomen, too, but it didn't really break the skin. I don't think it'll get infected or anything, thank goodness."

"And just why couldn't Roxton get the necklace? You simply HAD to put on this strip show for him? "The brunette beauty was still very skeptical.

"Well, gee, you dope! In case you've never noticed, I'm a lot smaller than he is, and that space was cramped, even for me. Think, Marguerite! You've seen John send me up a tree to get a better shot at something, including one headhunter on the way to Xochilenque, if you recall. I can climb higher into thinner branches than Macho Man here can." She turned and gave Roxton her urchin grin, and he smiled wanly back.

"Look," said Finn, "Do you want the damned necklace, or what? The way I feel right now, I want to take it back and throw it in the river again!" Now, Finn also crossed her arms on her chest, her pique very evident.

Veronica passed the necklace back to Marguerite. "I can solder that clasp, Marguerite. The necklace is scratched in several places from being roiled around on that river bottom, but I have a tool that will let me knurl the surface there, and make it look like it was original decorative work. We'll clean off the ruby and it will look new. Gold doesn't rust, after all. You're lucky, and you're even luckier to have Finn to get this back for you. Remember our Finn? Your loyal, brave, caring friend, your almost sister, who risked her life today to get this for you?"

Veronica turned to Roxton. "Isn't what she said just about what happened, John? Wasn't she in some real danger down in that sharp fissure?"

He nodded. "Yes, and there are crocodiles and caimans near there. One could easily have swum up and taken her before I could do anything. Not to mention some nasty, large-toothed prehistoric fish."

Marguerite wasn't done yet. "But why did you throw out your torn knickers...panties... if you weren't trying to hide something? I could have sewn that tear."

Finn grumbled, "The panties were old. Like Johnny said, they're the same ones that I was wearing in New Amazonia when I was rescued by you and George. Mainly by George, I might add. You just sort of went along with him bringing me here. There are a couple of places where the material is almost worn through. The elastic is getting weak. I'd have had to replace them soon, anyway. Does that answer your question, witch?"

There was a moment of silence as what had happened sank in. Then, Marguerite, speaking in a small voice, said. " I think it is time that John took me upstairs for a long talk, and if you hear any yelps coming from our room, it probably means that he is spanking me, as I richly deserve. I suppose that he'll use a ping pong paddle from the den, to avoid having to touch my hide directly, as mad as he surely must be at me. I am so humiliated that I cannot even manage a meaningful apology to those whom I have wronged. Finn, I am SO sorry. If you want to come up and borrow one of John's belts and give me a few whacks with it, I suppose I can hardly object." The brunette heiress's face blushed like a crimson sunset.

Finn was startled. "No, thanks, Marguerite. I'm not into spanking other girls. What do you think: that I was a porn star, besides all of those other names that you called me?"

"What's a porn star?" Ned wanted to know.

So, Finn had to explain that in the distant future, certain movies would be...rather different...from any that they had seen.

"So, people could just get these sort of 'blue' movies and see them at home on these television things?", asked Ned.

"Well, really, television is theoretically quite possible," began Challenger. "First, one needs to control the radio waves which..."

"Not now, George; it isn't the time," interjected Veronica. "Besides, Ned is looking too interested in this stuff. Marguerite, do you realize just what you have done? Has Finn ever led you to believe that she would do this with John? What about her feelings for George, whose very shadow you tease her for worshipping? Did she not risk her life several times to save yours, and did she not keep Burton away from you as best she could? (See the Fic, "A Night in the Lost World".) In Xochilenque, she was the first through the door of that cell where the Tecamaya were holding you and a wounded John, after she and Ned had risked themselves against great odds to save me, too." (From, "The Crystal Skull", no longer on the Net.)

Marguerite nodded. "I offer my fullest contrition to you, Finn. I have gravely wronged you, and made a colossal fool of myself. I am almost speechless at my conduct."

"What's this 'contrition' thingee?" Finn was curious. "My English and my vocabulary are a lot better now that I know you guys and can read, but that's one that I've missed, I guess."

"It just means that she's really sorry," explained Veronica.

"Well, I AM very upset, especially with myself. Please reach deeply into your hearts and try to find a morsel of charity for a woman who has been so insecure for all of her life that she sometimes reacts without considering alternative explanations to something that occurs to her. I love John so desperately that I was just beside myself when I thought what I did. Now, if John is ready, I think it is time that we went upstairs and let the rest of you eat dinner in peace, for I think it must be about ready."

"It is nearly ready, "noted Veronica "I'll be able to serve in about five minutes. I just need a little help in the kitchen, and we're all set."

Roxton said, "Everyone, we'll leave you to eat in peace. Please forgive my woman for what she has done. I assure you that I will address the matter appropriately. Marguerite, stand up. Now."

"Let me say first that I have complete confidence in you, John," said Challenger, "and also in Finn. I have no doubt that she has been entirely loyal to me."

Finn grinned. "You'd better say that, Genius, or you aren't gettin' any tonight."

Roxton cleared his throat, "Well, on that note, we will just..."

"Just a minute, you two," interjected Veronica. "Why don't you stay for dinner? I don't want to have to heat it up for you later, and by the time we've had dessert, we will have had time to cool off a little and get this in better perspective. Besides, Ned has made ice cream. That should cool us off. Not that I think that Marguerite should be let off the hook. I'm tempted to spank her, myself, in spite of Finn's colorful little account of those kinky movies. But we have to remember that she is still one of us, and we are a family of sorts. Surely, whatever punishment John has in mind can wait for an hour, while tempers cool."

Marguerite looked hopefully at Roxton, her expression contrite and pleading. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Veronica is right, " chimed in Challenger." John, if I can forgive her, surely you can stay Marguerite's fate, and that ice cream will be delicious. I assisted Ned this afternoon on an improved formula as we worked on the generator. In fact, the enhanced cooling capacity of the refrigerator is why we will be able to have the ice cream tonight, made as late in the day as it was."

"Perhaps if Marguerite is truly sorry, she'll offer to help Finn in the garden for the rest of this month," suggested Veronica meaningfully. "I'll help, as usual, but I also have some things to do up here." She looked expectantly at Marguerite, whose features flushed with hope.

"Finn? Will you accept my presence there? Could you stand to have me work beside you? I'll do my best, and even get up on time, I swear that I will." Marguerite saw a way to atone, and perhaps, to escape an angry paddling by her man.

Finn thought, then shrugged. "Sew me a new pair of panties, too? I need some more."

"Yes, of course, it is the very least that I can do to atone for what I said tonight."

"Then let her sit back down, please, Johnny. She's already going to help in the garden. Just think of what that will do to her pride. If she wasn't sorry, she wouldn't be helping there. Whatever you want to do to her, do it later. Lets' eat. I'm hungry." Finn was uncomfortable with the whole situation, but she pitied Marguerite in a way, for she had also had an insecure life until she had become a part of this group, and known, for the first time, what true love could mean.

"I'll help in the kitchen," Marguerite offered. "Finn, I'll serve you, and gladly, if you will allow me. I'll also serve George's plate; if you'll let someone else wait on him, for once. I have wronged him, too." And she looked to Roxton, who reluctantly nodded, than sat back down.

And so, the 'family' had a more pleasant dinner than they might have had, and when Roxton led Marguerite upstairs later, he had at least calmed down and decided on a less impulsive plan of action. To be sure, Marguerite had not heard the last of this from him, but at least, he was thinking more clearly than he had been.

When the time came, Roxton asked that they be excused, and when Marguerite asked if she should go up first to wait for him or if he would lead her, Roxton took her hand and said, "Marguerite, you made me mad as hell tonight, and we are going to have a long talk about this, whatever else happens. But we will go up together, like we will do everything else in life from now on. You should have thought before speaking, but I will say before everyone here that your jealousy, on reflection, makes me even more proud to have you as my own. If you didn't care so much, you wouldn't have been so angry. I'll take that as a compliment." He smiled, leaned over and kissed her.

"Good play, Marguerite," said Finn. "Get to a guy in his ego, and you've got it made." She winked, and Marguerite smiled, in spite of the apprehension that she felt.

"Finn, really..." Challenger intoned. But he was amused at his own woman's wit, and he loved her all the more for the confidence that he had felt in her all along, knowing that she would not have betrayed him.

CHAPTER TWO

True to her word, Marguerite was up early the next morning, and she helped Finn and Veronica to make breakfast for everyone.

When the men had gone about their various tasks for the day, the girls went to the garden, and Veronica handed Marguerite a hoe, and showed her what to do as she planted new crops. Finn worked nearby, picking and maintaining those that had already sprouted. She set aside some potatoes and broccoli for supper that night, and watered where needed.

In time, Veronica excused herself and went to collect Ned where he was oiling the gears to the windmill that powered the generator. The Malones would then start cooking lunch and do some housework.

Finally, Marguerite said to Finn, "Why didn't you two just give me that necklace when you got home last night? It would have saved me making a fool of myself, not that I'm excusing anything that I did."

Finn gave her a sheepish look. "We were going to get Vee to clean it up and give it to you as a surprise at dinner. I guess we screwed up, huh?"

"Well, what's done is done. And I am sorry, Finn. I was so rude! I almost hated to look at myself in the mirror as I fixed my face this morning. By the way, did I ever remember to say thank you for the very real risk that you took in recovering that necklace?"

"Nope. You can say it now, though. On the count of three...One, two..."

Marguerite smiled. "Thank you, Finn, from the bottom of my heart. I did thank John last night, while we talked. So, he already knows that I am grateful."

Finn couldn't resist asking. "Uh, Marguerite...did he really paddle you? I feel bad about it if he did, as angry as I got. I hoped that he'd cool off during dinner and just yell at you, or whatever."

Marguerite considered her next words very carefully. "Finn, keep this to yourself, especially if Veronica or Ned asks. But...yes, he did let me have it, with his hand. He didn't use the ping-pong paddle. Ten strokes, with my knickers off. But it was only after I got insolent again and sassed him, and he didn't use as much force as he might have. Not that it didn't sting quite enough!"

Finn shrugged. "If I'd blown up like that, the Genius would probably have whacked my cute little tail, too. Remember, I was there. You really lost it for awhile. I was mad, myself, and I love you, Marguerite. I swear I do. It was like being slapped by my sister or something when you went after me like that. I was HURT, dammit. I'm sure that John was, too. He's really a sensitive guy. I know him awfully well, and you two mean the world to me. You hurt him, too, believe me."

"Yes, of course. I wasn't implying that I didn't know why he was mad. But the real reason why he spanked me eventually is that I sort of threw a challenge in his face. Stupid me. He would have let it go by then, but I wouldn't let him. We argued. I had to smart off and tell him that if he was the man he should be, he wouldn't let me embarrass us that way."

"Yeah," said a grinning Finn. "You need to learn when to shut up sometimes, Marguerite."

"So I learned," muttered the heiress. She set her hoe aside and sat on a large tree stump, patting a space beside her for Finn to join her. She took off her hat and fanned herself, looking up at the cloudless blue, hot sky. She decided to get a gallon bottle of iced tea from under the shade of a large fern and pour them each a glass.

Finn accepted her glass with alacrity, the day being warm. The work in the garden had exerted them. And she just plain liked iced tea.

Marguerite sipped with pleasure, and looked curiously at her blonde companion. "Finny, has George ever spanked you? You've learned from us that it isn't too unusual among couples in this age for a man to discipline his woman that way. This isn't the 21st Century with the enlightenment that you said had taken place among couples, that feminine liberation thing. Here, just smoking a cigarette in public in some places is enough to get a girl's behind painfully attended to by her husband or by her father, if she's still living under his roof. That some companies would someday actually market cigarettes directly to women and tell them that they'd come a long way is difficult to believe. I remember that advertisement that you mentioned."

Finn blushed. "Keep this between us, Marguerite, but George has only been mad enough at me twice that I really thought I might wind up over his lap. Instead, he just scolded me, for something dumb that I did in the lab without asking him. Oh: I got him pretty mad and disappointed when I almost sneaked down to see that pedestal that he was making for me, too. He wanted it to be a surprise. (See, "The Pedestal.") The only times I get spanked are when I play games with him where I dare him to spank me, and I do it then because I get excited by him doing it. I discovered when we were in Burton's clutches that it turned me on when he smacked my butt sometimes. You remember: you told me that I was playing into his hands, and that he was a very dangerous narcisstic sociopath.

"Well, I probably have a dark or kinky side to me, but I decided that I liked that sometimes, provided that it was George doing it to me, not Burton. So, we got careless once and Vee saw me getting a spanking on the balcony outside our room. I was, like, totally naked! I thought everyone was in bed by then. She asked me later why I was giggling and I had to reveal my little secret. But George has never really punished me that way, no. I almost never get him upset; I love him too much. Anyway, if he really wanted to discipline me, he'd probably just tell me that I couldn't have any ice cream for the next month." She grinned impishly.

Marguerite rolled her eyes. "That does sound like a punishment you'd fear, Finny. But you come from a different age, and you're pretty independent, in the main. Would you let George spank you in earnest, if he wanted to? And why? Can you understand why I'd submit to John doing that, the only two times that he has? I mean, apart from the fact that he's much stronger and would have his way with me if he felt that I deserved it... Actually, his strength is one of the things that I love about him, of course. Thinking about him that way makes me shiver a little, and I feel very feminine in the face of his manhood. Thinking about him makes my knees weak and I get wet inside. My biology betrays my desire to feel like a strong woman, independent. Believe me, I know exactly why so many girls wound up in his arms before we came to this damned place! Anyway, sometimes I get this urge to almost force him to dominate me. Me, of all women! I used to think I was above that."

Finn studied her British friend. "Maybe because you were raised to expect it? I mean the spanking thing, not about him making you wet. And because you endured that in girls' boarding school? I'm glad that I never had to attend one of those places. But, yes, I'd let George decide if I deserved it, and I'd take it if he chose to do it. And I hope that I'd apologize to him for doing whatever caused him to punish me. You told me once that a ship can have only one captain, and that in our present society, it's usually the man. I don't even want to run our marriage. I want to be totally George's woman. For that to work, I have to let him know that I'm his, and very glad of it, and that I trust him to decide when I've been that naughty. But I probably won't be. I just like knowing that he'd be firm with me if I had it coming. It helps me to feel that I'm his, and that he'll look out for us. And he was raised to expect that, and I need to accept that I'm living in 1923, not in my own time. I mean to be the best wife he could ever have, and that's a small concession to make. Especially when I've come to realize that I see it as the natural order of things, at least between me and the Genius. I think some of it is wanting him to be a strong husband and some because I want a father figure, too. Make sense?"

"You're a smart girl for a blonde, Finn," Marguerite smiled. "You caught on sooner than most people would. Also, I need, for the first time in my life, to feel responsible to someone for my actions. The only man, the sole PERSON to whom I want to feel responsible is John Roxton. You told me once what it felt like when you woke one morning next to Challenger and felt rosy all over. And what did you say that you felt for him? Remember?"

"Sure", said Finn. "I said that I was crazy in love. I still am. I've got it even worse now that I know he feels the same way and we've gotten to know each other better. I get such a 'high' from thinking about it that it feels like being on drugs to love this much. It's maybe not quite as totally euphoric as it was at first, when I first knew, but I get so thrilled and content when he looks fondly at me, or when he puts me on that silly pedestal in our room and tells me that he's proud of me for something." Finn glowed, smiling at the emotions that she described.

"Exactly," said Marguerite. "Well, I am not as openly demonstrative as you are toward George, but the fact is, I thrill to knowing that John loves me so deeply. I have news for you, Finn: you may not, after all, have the single greatest love affair of all time, the romance of the centuries, as you so cheerfully put it on occasion. What John and I feel for one another is at least a good candidate for runner-up in the love sweepstakes of history.

"And I know now that sometimes, I WANT John to put his foot down and make me take my medicine. Not often, for I am not that naughty, usually. But sometimes, I want to feel him take charge and enforce his authority. Particularly when I know that I have it coming. I no longer WANT to be able to run over people and get off Scot- free. My big mouth hurts people, most of all you and others who are very dear to me. When I do that on the scale that I did last night, it hurts me most of all, when I realize how wrong and how mean I've been. How stupid I was not to have checked into matters before I assumed the worst..."

"So, you explained all of this to Johnny, and just asked him to spank you?" Finn was intrigued, if a bit incredulous.

Marguerite squirmed. "No, actually it was only later that I admitted that I deserved what I got and that I wanted John to do it, to put me in my place and remind me that I'm now his woman. What I do reflects on us as a couple and on his masculine pride and need to feel in charge in our marriage.

"But later, I thanked him and told him that I was such a bitch that I was afraid that he would shut me out, and asked if I should sleep downstairs. That was the right thing to say, I expect. He pulled me to him and soon, we were ah, quite passionate. He was probably hoping for an excuse to make up, provided that I accepted my limitations."

Finn nodded. "So, this worked out okay for both of you guys?"

Marguerite nodded. "I got punished for what I did to you and to him, and I subconsciously wanted that. I would have felt disappointed if I hadn't gotten my butt warmed. So much for sordid tales of nocturnal married life, for John and I are already married, in all but name. Do you know what it meant to hear him say when he took my hand at the table last night that we would go up together, as we would be doing everything else, from now on?" She flushed pink, embarrassed that her feelings showed so clearly.

Finn considered her. "Marguerite, you are either blushing from being in love ALMOST as much as I am, or you're getting a bad sunburn. I think we'd better have more tea now." And she grinned, delighted to have heard this account from her friend, and to know how bad that friend felt for having wronged her, Finn.

CHAPTER THREE

Two weeks later, Finn was walking past the library on the way to her room after showering when Marguerite stepped out of the library, and motioned her to join her within. She held a finger to her lips, to signal a need for silence.

"What's up, Marguerite?" she asked. "Why are you shushing me and being so mysterious?"

"I have a little surprise for you, Finn. Go look on the table there."

Finn walked over and saw a wooden box, wrapped with green cloth and tied with a yellow bow made from a local plant fiber. "This is for me? Why? My birthday isn't for a couple of months."

"It's just my way of saying how much I care for you and to atone for what I said that evening recently when I opened my mouth too soon." She looked furtive, guilty, as she remembered her outburst.

"Should I open it now, or wait until we're all together later tonight?"

"If I was you, I'd open it now or when you and George are alone. Some of the contents may be a trifle embarrassing if you display them in public, as if this Treehouse is ever really private."

"Okay, too cool! I'll open it now, so you can see my reaction. Hey! This better not be one of those golden-phase tropical rattlesnakes that George wants to study."

Marguerite assured her that this wasn't so. "But wear those in the right male company, and you may find that they are as potent as one of those snakes. The man who sees you in those is a goner. He's all yours." She looked smugly at Finn, who now began to suspect what was in the box.

She took off the ribbon eagerly, and unwrapped the green cloth covering. She lifted out two pair of black panties. They were similar, except that one was a conventional bikini, cut a bit high at the legs, to emphasize her long limbs to best advantage. The other was the narrow (string) waistband style. Another principal difference was that the lace appliqué on one pair was an "N" for Nicole, and the smaller ones had an "F" for "Finn". The smaller ones had a tiny black ribbon over each leg opening, and the fuller cut ones had pink ribbons there. There was delicate lace trim at the leg holes, too, handsewn.

"I couldn't decide what to call you," said Marguerite, "so you have an initial for both names. Be careful with those other packages. The contents are rather delicate."

"What?" And Finn lifted out a necklace of gold links, moderately heavy for her size of neck, with an exquisite emerald pendant. The small accompanying packages were matching earrings.

Finn stood stunned, staring at the items, running her fingers over them.

"Marguerite, I don't deserve these. These are 'way too valuable! What's all of this about?" But she looked on the jewelry with unbridled glee, her eyes having lit up like a chandelier at Versailles.

"Finn, this is only partially to compensate you for the harm that my words did. It's more to say thanks for recovering that particularly cherished necklace that you found. And to tell you how much I appreciate having you as a friend. I made Veronica a similar set of jewelry, so she won't feel jealous. And because she deserves it. She has been so kind to all of us, and so dear. I had been looking for something that I could do for her, and this is what I thought of. But you deserved the same. You look a bit sluttish in those gold loop earrings that you favor, especially when you add that ankle bracelet that makes you look like a teen tart. The diamond earrings that George gave you for Christmas are too dressy for all but the grandest occasions that you will encounter once we get off of this blessed Plateau. You needed something in between that will still turn heads. This is it, and the emerald is because it looks good on you, and you like green. I'll give Veronica her jewelry tonight, so don't wear yours to the table. I want to surprise her. Like it, I hope?"

"Marguerite, this is so damned gorgeous that I am going to cry; excuse me for a moment, please." And the tears did come, a little.

Finn was still somewhat unused to anyone going out of their way to do nice things for her.

Marguerite stepped forward to touch her shoulder comfortingly, and Finn pulled the older woman to her in a fierce hug, which was returned.

And so, this story ends more happily than it began. Actually, when Finn modeled the new panties and the jewelry for Challenger that night, it ended even more happily!

The End

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